


Exactly How Much Do You Love Her?

by what-is-a-fanfic-author (naxxerie)



Category: Naruto
Genre: BAMF Nara Shikamaru, BAMF Temari (Naruto), Drama, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Sappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-29 21:10:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20803049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naxxerie/pseuds/what-is-a-fanfic-author
Summary: Unable to cope with his perceived failures, Shikamaru passed on his guard duty to another Jounin. But exactly how safe is a Suna Princess within the Hidden Leaves Village?





	Exactly How Much Do You Love Her?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is inspired by that doujinshi I saw on Youtube (we need more shikatema doujinshi to be honest). I have been reading nothing but shikatema fanfic over the last few days and this is the result! I hope you enjoy!!!

Shikamaru's body was slouched, his eyes heavy and devoid of happiness, as he stated at the tomb stone of his former sensei – Asuma. Immediately after passing on his mission to the control room, he went directly to the memorial park.

  
His body shook as he say what made him come here. “I lost someone, Asuma sensei. He was young, he just passed Jounin last year. He was eager…yet my misjudgment took his life away.”

  
Tears formed at the corner of his eyes, he thought they had longed been dry by now. But even that, he had failed to foresee. How many mistakes would he make? How many more lives would die because of his misjudgment?

  
He had always pride himself with his intellect and precise judgment, that’s what had earned him the title of Best Strategist. He never make mistakes. And thus, he does not know how to cope.

  
“Shikamaru-sama?” a chunin level officer asked a few steps behind.

  
“What is it?” Shikamaru asked without looking back.

  
“The Godaime wants to inform you that Temari will be arriving today. Would you be able to attend to your duty?”

  
_Temari_. Her name never failed to brighten his day, like a good cloud watching in the afternoon. It relaxes him. But not today.

  
“I’m sorry. But please request Godaime provide the Suna ambassador another detail. I may not meet her today.”

  
The chunin nodded. “Understood.”

**Later. **

Temari arrived at the Konoha gates with a little sprint in her steps. She would never admit it even under heavy torture, but she was looking forward to seeing Shikamaru. She had read some good new strategic theory that she wanted to discuss with him. She had even purchased him one in their little library beside the castle. She was looking forward to seeing his smile upon receiving it. And perhaps even subtly ask him to ask her for a dinner or two.

  
She knew even before that she had fell in love with that cloud-lover, slacker, tactician guy from the Konoha. She may not pinpoint exactly when but she had known. And she acknowledge it. Honestly speaking, there were worst guy for her heart to fell to. But she was at least glad it’s someone decent – and smart. Shikamaru being smart is really, really, a turn on. God, she love to massage his brain sometimes. She loves watching him think and strategies. She just loves him.

  
She knew that there’s a large percentage that Shikamaru reciprocates her feelings. Nevertheless, as any other young adult, there were doubts in her heart. There is still a probability that he merely likes her as a friend, a close friend. Perhaps he needs more coaching? Perhaps he needs a little seduction? Temari could learn that. She knows her asset, but she never hard to work this hard to catch a man’s attention before.

  
Or perhaps Temari could just ask him?

  
She looked around, there’s no sign of Shikamaru on the gates. Where is he?

  
Instead, there’s another Konoha Jounin who walked towards him. He bowed, and never lifted his head as he spoke, a fitting way to address the Sand Princess. “Godaime wants to express her sincerest apology, but Shikamaru had refused to attend to his duties today. Instead, the Godaime asked me to accompany you instead in your travel to the konoha.”

  
_Refuse_? She suddenly found it hard to breathe.

  
“Temari-sama?” The jounin asked.

  
Temari shook her head. If that is what Shikamaru decided, then fine. _Fine_. It is fine. A forced love never worked well. Perhaps that is Shikamaru’s answer (although she had forgotten that she had never still asked him in the first place).

  
“Who are you?” Temari asked, looking at the guy.

  
“I am Rai. Jounin Level 2. Wind affinity.” He stood straight as he spoke those words.

  
“Wind?” Temari's ears perked up. She was itching to practice something. Perhaps a little battle would help her control her emotions back, normalized it. “Do you mind if we train for a little?”

  
Rai shook his head furiously. “Never, your majesty!”

  
Temari laughed. “Majesty? This is the first time a Konoha addressed me as such.” She said with mild amusement.

  
Rai blushed. “Well, you are a princess. And, well. Uhm, I thought it was fitting?”

  
Temari punched him lightly by the shoulder. “Relax, I’m just messing.” She walked pass him. “Come on, point me to the best place to train.”

  
Rai blushed and jogged by her side. “Well, for a wind training the perfect one perhaps would be the clear place at the center of the forest.”

  
Temari nodded. “Good choice.”

**Almost three hours later.**

  
“I…am…no match,” Rai said, as he tries so hard to catch his breathe. He has his hands on his knees, panting very fast. He could feel his lunch trying to work its way up his mouth. “I need--" he falls over, hitting his head on the ground.

  
Temari was sitting, her legs spread on a straight line, her eyes trailing the free clouds floating in the sky. A soft and satisfied smile was etched on her face. “No doubt,” she simply said, eyes not leaving the peaceful sky. She often wished that the peace that they are taking for granted had not been denied to her as a child. Perhaps if it hadn’t, her father does not have to treat Gaara as another weapon instead of his own child.

  
But _the past is the past, and things happen for a reason_, as the wise always say.

  
“There’s a lake around here, right?” Temari asked, already dusting herself. Being a powerful kunoichi, she was barely exhausted. She could see that somehow, at first, Rai was pulling his punches, perhaps afraid for the consequences of hitting the Kazekage's only sister. However, Temari pushed him, and attack him mercilessly that made him unable to defend himself unless he decided to get serious.   
She was still slightly pissed that he did not go all out on him, perhaps still restrained in a sense that he was trying very hard not to attack him in threatening places. Still pissed about being shoved off to another jounin, Temari did not hold back her own.

Thus, we have one exhausted jounin and a princess who was itching to have a relaxing bath.

  
“Yes…yes…” Rai said, his eyes already half closed due to exhaustion.

  
Temari glanced at him before shrugging and going towards the clearing. She walked around, and got a bit lost for a meter or two, before she was able to locate the small lake.

  
She went towards the lake and dipper her hand. She hummed as she felt the temperature of the water. Chilling cold. Exactly what she expected from any body of water not within walking distance from the edges of Suna. She loved her country fiercely but there’s a thing like too much sand. She slowly took her clothes off, except a her laced panty and soak herself in the lake.

**About thirty minutes later.**

  
Temari is a master of her affinity. Thus she was able to feel when the wind suddenly shifted. She was halfway into putting her dress when the wind suddenly grew a bit too quiet to be deemed as normal. She quickly tied her dress before grabbing her fan.

  
As soon as her hand touched the fan, a group of kunai rained down where she stand. With years of practice, Temari opened her fan and wiped the attack off.

  
Five masked missing nin surrounded her. She glared at them. She saw one of the hooded figure with a bloody kunai.

  
“I guess he’s dead, huh?” She mourned for a second before readying here for another deadly attack.

  
“Is he not your lover?” the man asked, his voice muffled by the mask.

  
Temari would have laughed very hard by the implication but there was one thing bothering her. “What makes you say so?”

  
“We receive information that the Suna princess has a lover from the konoha,” the man said, jumping from his place above the tree to the ground.

  
“And you aim to kill him?” Temari asked, her eyes traveling at the other missing nin. She was already calculating how much chakra she is going to allot to each one of them. The level of a missing nin is roughly around jounin to anbu, if she is unfortunate.

But according to most intel, only jounin level travel in numbers. She could take at least three of them before exhaustion gave in. She has to make this quick.

  
“No. We aim to kill you,” the man said. “The death of the Suna princess in Konoha’s soil will bring another war.”

  
“So that’s your goal? Start a war?” Temari said, her blood boiling. These people cannot comprehend the horrors of war.

  
“It is the way a ninja must live,” the man said, body ready for an attack.

  
Temari bit her finger, to summon. “Then you are not a real ninja.” She opened her fan wide and summoned her animal. “Summoning Blade Dance Jutsu! Kiri kiri mai!”

  
She seized control of the winds – they were as fierce, as deadly, and as unforgiving as she. They blasted through the trees, slicing every obstacle that was in their way, uncaring if it was a tree, the soil, or another body. One of the missing nin was too late to dodge the attack and was caught in the middle of it. His body was ripped apart and blood burst out from his maimed body. His parts fell on the ground like fruits that fell down from the tree.

  
The other four got minor scraps but not too threatening.

  
The commotion was large and the falling of the trees with the sudden gust of the wind will surely attract the attention of the border guards. And she knew that they would be here within minutes.

  
And she’ll make sure that when they arrived, it was merely to clean up the bodies of these missing nin.   
Temari poised her fan as she saw two of the remaining four jumped to attack her. They formed the necessary hand signs and fire suddenly appeared from their lips. Temari counter their attack with a gush of her own winds. The fire disseminated and burnt the other fallen trees. Temari jumped on the air and attacked them. “Wind Scythe Jutsu!”

  
One of the two was caught in the attack , while the other was able to attack her again. They engaged in a close combat, with the enemy using a long sword he pulled out from his back and Temari using her fan.

She suddenly felt a presence behind her and used her fan to hit him, then opened it to protect herself from the one in front of her. She jumped higher than them and used her fan to levitate before somersaulting with another attack, “Cyclone Scythe Jutsu!”.

  
The two were caught by the surprised attack, and like the previous two before them, their bodies were mutilated by the unforgiving winds.

  
Temari huffed as she landed on one of the fortunate trees that is still left intact. The man who was once talked to her before was now standing rigid by the ground. His eyes were trained on her.

  
“Have you said your prayers?” Temari asked, before opening her fan, and biting her hand. She was going to use her summoning combined attack once more.

  
“Not yet,” the man said before showering her with an attack.

  
Temari opened her fan and used a counter-attack, “Summoning Blade Dance Jutsu!”

  
However, as she does this, a large boulder of mixed ground soil was attacked behind him. Temari, caught off guard, lost her balance and fell on the ground.

Her summoning went towards the one who attacked her behind. While the man in front of her attacked her once again with a shower of kunai. Temari’s body was then laced with most of the kunai. She was able to dodge, despite taking direct hit from earlier, but the number of kunai had doubled and she had taken half of it.

  
_Was there another one? Have I lost count?_ Temari used her fan to stand herself steady. She looked around and sure enough there is the man from earlier and another standing beside him. Her eyes widened upon recognizing him.

  
“Rai?!”

  
_Everything that could go wrong, does so_ – as the wise says.

  
But Rai said he only have a wind affinity, Temari thought. So he was lying before, he had two affinities. Temari glared at the both of them. “Now I felt silly mourning for you,” Temari said, mockingly.

  
“Sure you did,” Rai said massaging his shoulder.

  
“Should have punched you harder,” Temari said as she readies her fan. “No worries, this time I would not hesitate.”

  
Rai readies his attack as well. “Ditto.”

**Ten minutes ago.**

  
Shikamaru was panicking as he raced towards the forest outside the Konoha. He was on the way to the clearing forest, wanting to clear his head for being an ass and not facing Temari personally, when he saw the trees suddenly falling over as if they were being cut down.

  
Without second thoughts, he rushed towards the direction. He had long memorized Temari's attacks and the deadly consequences that they produce. Ever since he saw her brilliance in the chuunin exam (yes, years ago), he had started taking interest in wind affinity, or more specifically had taken quite the observation towards Temari's. And only hers.

  
His pulse quickened as his mind raised for the numerous possibilities. He had jokingly asked Temari to lessen her practice rage if she does practice her attacks on the Konoha’s soil, because the village of the Hidden Leaves does not work well when it has no leaves to hide from. Thus he knew that Temari using that attack meant that she is not doing her usual practice, it meant trouble.

  
And he will be damned before he lost another piece of his heart.

  
This is when he realized that he wanted to marry her, and he, for the first time in his life, do not want to procrastinate this proposal any longer.

**Now**.

  
Shikamaru arrived at the scene with Temari leaning heavily on her fan, and breathing heavily. She had her eyes half close. There were bruises and cuts littering her entire pristine skin. And oh dear, there’s a lot of skin.

  
Rai poised to attack. “Temari!” Shikamaru does not even had to think before his hands were moving to form an attack. He attacked and caught Rai, with his blade inches from Temari's eyes. Temari smiled and took the blade from him.

  
Rai's eyes were wide with fear, “no…please--" before he could finish, Temari slit his throat, but not deep enough to finish him off. Rai gurgled as his blood dripped from his neck. He can’t move, and slowly he is finding it harder and harder to breathe. Shikamaru does not let him move. He walked towards Temari and took a blade from his holster. He carved out Rai's eyes and let them roll over the dirt. “He has no right to see you in a state of undress.” Shikamaru said, ever word laced with anger.

  
Temari laughed, as if she did not just saw happy-go-lucky Shikamaru brutally mutilate an enemy. “Well, thank you then for defending my honor.”

  
Shikamaru let the blade fall on the grass, the same time he let go of his technique and let the enemy fall. Rai's body fell, lifeless, like a doll cut from its string. Blood oozed out from his empty eyes, mixing with the blood from his slit throat.

  
Shikamaru's bloody hand caress Temari's face. Temari unconsciously leaned into it. “I want you.” Shikamaru whispered. “For the rest of my life, I want you with me.”

  
He kneeled before her, and removed his vest, draping it over her shoulders. “Please, let me protect you for the rest of your life.”

  
Tears started to fall from his eyes. He was afraid of being rejected, yet the love he felt for her can no longer be contained by his mortal heart. “I love you, Temari. So much.”

  
Temari smiled, that special smile she reserves only for him. “You crybaby,” she said, softly, before kissing him. “Took you long enough.”

**End. **

**Author's Note:**

> Leave me a review if you enjoy! :)


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